GINGRICH . . . A TRULY EXPENSIVE BOOK DEAL?

Sen. Christopher Dodd of Connecticut, the next chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Sunday predicted that House Speaker Newt Gingrich's decision to retain some royalties from a $4.5 million book deal, combined with revelations that he met Nov. 28 with the publisher's owner, Rupert Murdoch, could cost the Georgia Republican his high post. "I strongly advise the speaker of the House to cut this deal immediately, take nothing, move away from it," Dodd said on CBS' Face the Nation. "His speakership is in jeopardy if he continues down the path here and more information becomes available." Republicans dismissed the threat as political sniping.